AusBonsai

It has been warm in the last couple days and I was tidying up the surface roots of my collected Firethrone. Here is the thread:
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4172&hilit=+dig+in+qld
I know that any major root pruning should be done in spring but wanting to get some ideas as some of the roots are crossing the others. They don't look urgly but I have been told that one should not keep any crossover roots. Shout I cut them?

Personal preference i think, I like it!

Nice collected specimen. I like the roots

hi DK!

personally i would ground layer the top off, there is a very nice spot to do it and it will give you a much neater cleaner nebari, i dont like crossing roots myself so thats my thoughts mate, i will do a quick mud map to show where i think mate

There is more under the soil line. There are roots that are bigger then the branches above. I am planning to remove the top layer/level of the grow box next spring to expose more of the top part of the root ball and see what else is there. This is why I made two layers for the grow box. Please feel free to give more ideas for me plan for this. It is interesting to see different views.

hey DK,

i would be ground layering here
and all the root stock underneath taking lots and lots of root cuttings, they should take fine

jamie

Sorry Jamie, but if you layer it off as you suggest all you are left with is nothing exciting, no matter how well you can grow a new rootsystem and nebari for it, it will always be common... as it stands now it has its own character..

For me the roots need to stay, I would put a nice piece of lichen in the gap to really set it off. Then it would look more like a rotted out hollow than a gap in the roots.

It will be really interesting to see what is uncovered when you do remove the upper layer next season. Look forward to seeing where this goes. Any chance of seeing the top half again now you have started to expose the roots?

Matt

Edit...spelling

I would want to see more of the tree and angles before I decided, It could go either way for me at the moment.

MattA wrote:Sorry Jamie, but if you layer it off as you suggest all you are left with is nothing exciting, no matter how well you can grow a new rootsystem and nebari for it, it will always be common... as it stands now it has its own character..

For me the roots need to stay, I would put a nice piece of lichen in the gap to really set it off. Then it would look more like a rotted out hollow than a gap in the roots.

It will be really interesting to see what is uncovered when you do remove the upper layer next season. Look forward to seeing where this goes. Any chance of seeing the top half again now you have started to expose the roots?

Matt

Edit...spelling

hi matt,

sorry but as much of a feature as they might be it either needs some serious root work done or the layer, roots like that dont usually get better. layering is a neat, clean option that i think would be a much better option. JMO i can see where you are coming from though!

i think the roots that are to be exposed will be just as mangled as these if not more, if it was layered of you get a nice neat nebari and then you also get a whole heap of root cuttings!

jamie

Jamie wrote:

MattA wrote:Sorry Jamie, but if you layer it off as you suggest all you are left with is nothing exciting, no matter how well you can grow a new rootsystem and nebari for it, it will always be common... as it stands now it has its own character..

For me the roots need to stay, I would put a nice piece of lichen in the gap to really set it off. Then it would look more like a rotted out hollow than a gap in the roots.

It will be really interesting to see what is uncovered when you do remove the upper layer next season. Look forward to seeing where this goes. Any chance of seeing the top half again now you have started to expose the roots?

Matt

Edit...spelling

hi matt,

sorry but as much of a feature as they might be it either needs some serious root work done or the layer, roots like that dont usually get better. layering is a neat, clean option that i think would be a much better option. JMO i can see where you are coming from though!

i think the roots that are to be exposed will be just as mangled as these if not more, if it was layered of you get a nice neat nebari and then you also get a whole heap of root cuttings!

jamie

Agree 100% Jamie, these roots offer nothing to the image.

I think that a layer is the only way.

I personally quite like the roots, but that's just me. I like the character and age it gives to the tree. Reminds me of old trees I'd love to sit under and curl up with a good book.

Those roots look really cool and give the tree heaps of character. Personally, I wouldn't be chopping them off, I'd be keeping them as a feature. Please don't turn it into another 'same old' bonsai/nebari.
Imagine trying to create something like that.

I am 100% behind Jamie on this one, the point he suggested to layer would make a beautiful trunk base and the roots as they are look to be an ungainly tangled mess to me. This is a beautiful piece of material and its a shame not to work it really hard and make a great tree out of it.
Craig

O.K, i will be the half way man on this one. Personally i do not like the root system like it is. Why dont you consider taking the two little ones on top of the big one right off and cutting 1/2 to 3/4 off the large one and then lowering the tree a little to that side until the cut heals. There is a little off shoot on the large root, take it off at that point. If that did not change the image enough i would go ahead with the aerial layer.

I have a great idea, layer the top off as Jamie suggested, send me the top, and wait till new buds pop on the lower section. Perfect solution!

In all honesty I think the top is really worth layering however the base leaves alot to be desired.